Temperature regulator



1930. J. v. GIESLER 1,784,062

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed July 28. 1927 I NVEN TOR.

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A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ma v.omsnn'n, or KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNQB TO THE FULTON sYLrn'oNCOMPANY, or KNOXVILLE, rmmnssnn, A. conrom'rxon or DELAWARE TEMPERATUREREGULATOR Application filed July 28,

V This invention relates to valve mechanism, and more particularly tothermostatically controlled valve mechanism for regulating the flow ofthe cooling medium circulating in the cooling system of an internalcombustion engine, whereby the operating temperature of the latter iscontrolled.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel thermostaticallycontrolled valve mechanism of the above type whereby the flow of thecooling medium may be controlled in a plurality of passages insuccession.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved device of thecharacter described embodying an expansible and collapsible corrugatedwall having valves operatively associated with the opposite endsthereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide valve mechanism of theabove type wherein a main valve and a by-pass valve are adapted to beactuated in succession.

A further object is to provide a thermostatically controlled valvemechanism embodying a main valve and a by-pass valve, wherein the mainvalve is adapted to be moved to open position and the by-pass valve isadapted to be moved to closed position in succession;

A further object is to provide a unitary structure embodying a mainvalve and a second valve, one of said valves being adapted to beactuated prior to the other valve.

Other objects relate to the provision of thermostatically controlledvalve mechanism, embodying main and by-pass valves, which is compact,inexpensive to manufacture, certain in operation, and which may bereadily installed in cooling systems without special design of the partsto which it is operatively connected.

The invention is capable of receiving a variety of mechanicalexpressions, two of which are shown on the accompanying drawings, but itis to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes ofillustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of thelimits of the invention, reference being bad to the appended claims forthat purpose.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like 1921. Serial in. 209,103.

reference characters are employed for desig- Fig. 3 is an axial sectionof another and preferred embodiment of the present invention. In theform shown in Fig. 1, the valve mechanism constituting the subjectmatter of the present invention is mounted on a cylinder head casting 4which constitutes a part of the water jacket of an internal combustionengine (not shown). An opening 5 is provided in the cylinder headcasting, which opening constitutes a portion of the path for the coolingmedium as it flows to the radiator (not shown). Centrally located inopening 5 is a by-pass conduit or pipe 6 which extends downwardlythrough the cylinder jacket to the usual circulating pump of the motor,the upper end of the by-pass being substantially flush with the uppersurface of cylinder headcasting 4. A suitable fitting 7 which may besecured to said casting as by means of bolts 8 projecting through theflanged portion of said fitting into said casting, constitutes apassageway for conducting the cooling medium from the water jacket tothe radiator. Any other suitable construction and arrangement ofpassages for the cooling medium may be employed, however, as theelements described above constitute no part, per se, of the presentinvention.

Mounted on the cylinder head casting t, in a position to surround theopening 5, is a combined support and valve seat member 9, which issubstantially cup-shaped, and which is provided with a flanged portion9a that is clamped between the flanged portion 7a of fitting 7 andtheupper surface of casting 4 by means of the bolts 8. In the form shown,support 9, which may be made of sheet metal, is provided with a suitableopening 10 substantially concentric with the opening 5, and preferably aplurality of arms 11 extend inwardly from the outer wall of said openingto an annular portion 12 constituting a supporting ring. Arms 11, whichare preferriorly threadedto receive a bypass disk valve ably formedintegral with support 9, divide opening 10 into a plurality of segmentalopenings.

Fixed attached in any suitable manner to ring 12, as by'means ofsoldering or brazing, and extending upwardly from said ring, is atubular guide 13. Preferably, guide 13 is provided with an enlargedportion forming a shoulder 13a which is adapted to coact with aperforated disk 14 that slidably surrounds said guide and which isfixedly attached at its periphery, as by means of soldering and brazing,to the lower open end of a cupshaped casing 15 which is concentric withopening 10 and which constitutes a main valve.

Mounted within the casing 15 is a corrugated fiexible tubular wall orbellows 16, the lower end of said wall being fixedly attached to anannular member 17 that is secured at its outer periphery to the innerwall of casing 15 adjacent an inwardly extending, annular ridge 18,which may be formed in said casing, as by means of rolling, tofacilitate the location and attachment of annular member 17. Formedintegrally with or secured to the inner end of the corrugated wall 16 inany suitable manner, is a disk 19 constituting'a movable end Wall forthe bellows 16. Centrally secured to disk 19 or formed integrallytherewith, and extending axially through guide 13 and ring 12, is avalvestem 20, which is preferably in the form of a tube,

the inner end of said stem being shown as secured to disk 19 inanysuitable manner, as by means of riveting and soldering. The outer end ofstem 20 extends a suitable distance beyond ring 12 and is preferablyexte- 21 adapted to coact with the by-pass conduit 6, the upper end ofthe latter forming the valve seat, and also to engage the end of guide13 or the annular portion 12 to act as a stop therefor. Athermosensitive fluid is introduced into the space 22 provided betweenthe bellows 16 and the inner wall of casing 15, as through the tubularstem 20 after which the end of said stem is closed as by means of corkand solder 23. A coil spring 24, which preferably surrounds guide 13,bears at its upper end against the inner face of disk 19 and at itslower end against the inner face of perforated disk 14, and constitutesa resilient abutment.

If desired, a guide member 25 may be provided for the upper end ofhollow stem 20. In the form shown, the member 25 is secured to theclosed end of cup 15 in a position to have sliding. engagement with theinner surface of tubular stem 20. Suitable openings 26 are preferablyprovided in disk 14 to admit the cooling medium to the inner surface ofthe corrugated wall 16.

l The operation of the apparatus is as folows:-

As the temperature of the cooling medium in the water acket increases,the heat is transferred through the wall of the thermostat to thethermosensitive medium in space 22 and there is a tendency for end wall19 and the closed end of cup 15 to move relatively. In most cases thecooling medium is circulated by means of a pump and the pressure of thecooling medium acting through openings 26 on the inner surface of endwall 19, together with the tension of spring 24, tends to preventmovement of the end wall downwardly, while the tension of spring 24 alsoacts to prevent movement of the cup-shaped casing 15 upwardly relativelyto end wall 19. But the pressure of the cooling medium on the upperouter surface of said casing is less than the pressure below disk 14,since the cooling medium flows upwardly, as indicated by the arrow. Thisdifferential in pressure acts with the pressure developed in space 22 toforce casing 15 upwardly, carrying therewith disk 14 and annular member17, compressing spring 24 and collapsing the bellows 16, because by-passvalve disk 21 is in engagement with annular portion 12 and preventsupward movement of disk 19. The lower edge of casing 15 constitutes amain valve which coacts with the seat formed by the upper surface ofsupport 9, and as said casing moves upwardly, the cooling medium flowsthrough opening 10, past the valve and valve seat, upwardly throughfitting 7, and into the radiator. Prior to, and durin the o ening of themain valve, a portion of t e cooling medium is returned to the pumpthrough the by-pass 6, since valve 21 remains open during movement ofcasing 15.

If the temperature rises to such a point that disk 14 is moved intoengagement with shoulder 13a, further upward movement of the casing isprevented and any increase in temperature serves to force end wall 19downwardly against the tnsion of s ring 24, whereby valve 21 is movedtowar s'or onto the seat formed by the upper end of the bypass 6 toclose the latter and to cause all of the cooling medium to be deliveredinto the radiator.

If the weight of casing 15, and its associated parts, is greater thanthe pressure of the'cooling medium below disk 14, it will be apparentthat a rise in temperature will cause end'wall 19 to be forceddownwardly against the tension of spring 24 until valve 21 is seated.Any increase in the temperature now causes casing15 to be forcedupwardly.

It will therefore be apparent that the main valve and the by-pass valve21 act at different times. When starting the cooling medium flowsdownwardly through by-pass 6, whereby the engine will be brought quicklyto its proper operating temperature. Thereafter it normally flowsthrough opening 5 and the by-pass, because under usual operatserving tocontrol the temperature of the cooling medium sufliciently. If thetemperature of the cooling medium rises sufficiently, the by-pass isclosed and all of the circulating -medium goes to the radiator.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, a tubularguide 27 which is secured to ring 12 in a manner similar to thatdescribed in connection with guide 13 of Fig. 1, is provided with aflanged portion 27a, the lower surface of which forms a shoulder adaptedto coact with disk 14. The upper surface of flanged portion 27a isengaged by the lower end of a coil spring 28, the upper end of saidspring having engagement with the lower face of the movable end wall 19and constituting a resilient abutment therefor. In other respects thestructure is similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

In this embodiment of the invention any tendency for movable end wall 19to be forced downwardly by an increase of pressure in space 22 isresisted by spring 28 but the latter is not effective to resist upwardmovement of casing 15. The latter is therefore forced from its seat,when the temperature of the cooling medium develops a sufiicientpressure in space 22, and if the temperature is sufficiently great, saidcasing moves upwardly until disk 14 engages the shoulder formed byflange 27a. Further expansion of the thermosensitive fluid results inend wall 19 being forced downwardly to move valve 21 to its seat.

It will therefore be perceived that there is provided a thermostaticallyactuated valve mechanism wherein the flow of the cooling medium may becontrolled in a plurality of passages in succession. While the deviceembodies a main valve and a by-pass valve, said valves are operativelyassociated with the opposite ends of the thermostat so that thestructure is a unit and extremely compact.

The device embodies advantages of both the by-pass and the choker typesof thermostats, because under normal conditions, the by-pass valve doesnot operate and the engine is thereby brought more quickly to thedesired temperature, since the cooling medium is recirculated throughthe by-pass. At the same time the by-pass may be closed if thetemperature of the cooling medium rises so high as to render such actiondesirable.

While two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed with considerable particularly, it is to be expresslyunderstood that the invention is not restricted thereto, as the same iscapable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, some of whichwill now readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, whilechanges may be made inthe details of construction, ar-

rangement and proportionof parts without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claimsfor a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a plurality of valves, a thermostat controlled by thetemperature of the cooling medium and operatively connected to saidvalves, and means yieldingly opposing expansion of said thermostat inone direction, until said thermostat has first expanded in the oppositedirection.-

2. In a thermostatically operated valvemechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a plurality of valves, and a temperature responsive devicecontrolled by the temperature of said cooling medium and operativelyconnected to said valves for opening one of said valves and closinganother of said valves, anda yielding abutment for said temperatureresponsive device for resisting operation of one of said. valves untilsaid temperature responsive device has first operated the other of saidvalves.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a main valve, a by-passvalve, means iasing the main valve toward its closed position and theby-pass valve toward its open position, and temperature responsive meansoperatively connected to said valves, said biasing means cooperatingwith said temperature responsive means to prevent closing of saidby-pass Valve until after said main valve has opened.

4. In combination with the cooling system of an internal combustionengine of the type employing a by-pass and a main passage for thecooling medium, a valve biased to close said main passage, avalveadapted to close said by-pass, said second-named valve being biased toits open position, and means including a flexible corrugated memberhaving its opposite ends connected to said valves for moving said mainvalve toward open position, and thereafter moving said by-pass valvetoward closed position in succession.

5. A device of the class described comprising a cup-shaped casingconstituting a valve, a corrugated member mounted in said casing havingone end thereof fixedly attached to the said casing, a second valveoperatively connected to said corrugated member, and resilient means forresisting movement of said second valve relative to said first valve.

6. A device of the class described comprising a support, a guide carriedthereby, a casing constituting a valve normally having engagement withsaid support, a corrugated member in said casing, resilient means havingoperative engagement with said corrugated member and said guide, a valvestem extending through said guide and having operative connection withsaid corrugated member, and a valve carried by said stem.

7. In a device of the class described, a support constituting a valveseat, a guide tube carried by said support, a valve having a stemslidably extending through said guide,- a bellows operatively connectedto said stem, a casing constituting a valve operatively connected tosaid bellows and normally engaging said support, and resilient meansinterposed between said guide and said bellows for resisting movement ofsaid valve stem.

8. In a device of the class described, a support, a casing constitutinga valve normally in engagement with said support, a flexible corrugatedmember in said casing, a valve having a stem operatively connected tosaid corrugated member, a guide for said stem constituting a stop forlimiting movement of the casing in one direction, and resilient meansinterposed between said corrugated member and said guide for resistingmovement of said valve stem.

9. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism, a plurality ofvalves, a thermostat having its opposite ends connected to said valves,and resilient means opposing the operation of said thermostat in onedirection whereby one of said valves is moved to its limit positionbefore the other valve starts to move.

10. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, the combination of a valve seat, a thermostat comprising acasing constituting the main valve and adapted to cooperate with saidseat, a flexible corrugated wall in said casing and having one endfixedly secured thereto, a by-pass valve operatively connected to themovable end of said flexible wall, and resilient means for resistingmovement of said by-pass valve relative to said main valve.

11. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, the combination of a valve seat, a thermostat comprising acasing constituting the main valve adapted to cooperate with said seat,a flexible corrugated Wall in said casing and having one end fixedlysecured thereto, a guide member carried by said valve seat, a valve stemconnected to the movable end of said flexible wall and movable in saidguide member, a spring interposed between said guide member and themovable end of said flexible wall to resist movement thereof, and aby-pass valve operatively connected to said valve stem.

12. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a valve seat member, a thermostat comprising a casing adapted toengage said valve seat member and constitute a valve, a flexiblecorrugated wall having one end secured to said casing, a valve stemconnected to the opposite end of said flexible wall, and a valve on saidvalve stem.

13. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a valve seat member, a thermostat comprising a casin adapted toengage said valve seat mem er and constitute a valve, a flexiblecorrugated wall having one end secured to said casing, a valve stemconnected to the opposite end of said flexible wall, a valve on saidvalve stem, and means cooperating with said flexible wall whereby saidvalves are operated in succes- $1011.

14. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a valve seat member, a thermostat comprising a casing adapted toengage said valve seat member and constitute a valve, a flexiblecorrugated wall having one end secured to said casing, a valve stemconnected to the opposite end of said flexible wall, a valve on saidvalve stem, and means cooperating with said flexible wall whereby saidcasing is moved from said valve seat member before said valve stem isoperated.

15. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a valve seat member, a thermostat comprising a casing adapted toengage said valve seat member and constitute a valve, a flexiblecorrugated wall having one end secured to said casing, a valve stemconnected to the opposite end of said flexible wall, a valve on saidvalve stem, and a spring cooperating with said flexible wall to resistmovement of said valve stem.

16. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an in ternal combustionengine, a valve seat member, a thermostat comprising a casing adapted toengage said valve seat member and constitute a valve, a flexiblecorrugated wall having one end secured to said casing, a valve stemconnected to the opposite end of said flexible wall, a valve on saidvalve stem, a stationary guide member for said valve stem, and a springinterposed between said guide member and said flexible wall.

17 In combination, a pair of alined axially moi'able valves, a pair ofseats limiting the movement of the valves in one direction, a pair ofstops limiting the movement of the valves in the opposite direction, aheat sensitive element expansible and contractible as a unit throughoutits length, said element being connected to said valves and normallydrawing them together, and a spring for biasing the movable valves andheat sensitive element in one direction so that the expansion of theheat sensitive element operates the valves in se uence.

18. In a t lermostatic control for the coolingmedium of internalcombustion engines, frame elements having abutments thereon, athermostat adapted to slide bodily on said frame elements, a. valvemember connected to each end of the thermostat and actuated thereby, andresilient means normally urging the thermostat against an abutmentwhereby the thermostat expands first in one direction to actuate onevalve member, then in the other direction to actuate the other valvemember.

19. In a thermostatic control for the cooling medium of internalcombustion engines, frame elements having spaced abutments thereon, athermostat having bodily movement on said frame elements limited by saidabutments, a valve member actuated by each end of the thermostat, andresilient means normally urging the thermostat against an abutmentwhereby the thermostat expands first in one direction till it engagesanother abutment, then in the other direction against the action of theresilient means.

20. In combination, a thermosensitive element having a valve memberconnected to each end thereof, a support for said element providing anabutment and a stop, and a spring pressing said element against saidabutment whereby said element expands in one directiononly until itengages said stop.

21. In a thermostatically operated valve mechanism for controlling theflow of cooling medium in the cooling system of an internal combustionengine, a thermosensitive element having a valve member connected toeach end thereof, a support for said element permitting expansion ofsaid element successivelv in opposite directions and providing anabutment, and a spring urging said element against said abutment toresist ex ansion of said element in one direction as ong as said elementmay expand in the other direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

' JEAN V. GIESLER.

